I sure do recognise what you are saying about going out to eat alone. When I was in my early 20s my anxiety got severe enough that I was afraid to walk across the restaurant to go to the ladies room.
My family was incredibly disfunctional and for 5 years or so I would get so nervous around them that I had immediate vomiting. I have thrown up in my hand, in the ocean, in a napkin,etc. Anxiety has so many components but my best trick is deep breathing.